Lord Mandelson confirmed today that he had been interested in the newly created post of EU foreign minister.

But the business secretary – seen in effect as Gordon Brown's deputy prime minister – insisted he had not sought the role because he was "committed" to the government.

Both Mandelson and David Miliband, the British foreign secretary, were touted as candidates for the new post of high representative of the EU for foreign affairs, which eventually went to Labour peer Lady Ashton.

Mandelson had been rumoured to have gone behind Brown's back to talk to senior EU figures to try to secure the role.

His departure would have been a significant blow for Brown and would have been taken as a sign that senior Labour figures had given up on the next election.

Asked whether Brown was unhappy that he had made a run for the job and indicated he wanted to leave government before the general election, the business secretary retorted that "it didn't quite happen like that".

"In other circumstances I would, of course, have liked to have done that job," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

"It combines my interests with Europe and foreign affairs. But the point is that I am a member of this government and I am committed to its success and its re-election, and that is why I am remaining a member of it."

The former EU trade commissioner denied he was "blocked" by Nicolas Sarkozy, the French president, saying the process "did not get to that happy stage".

Pressed on whether this meant he was vetoed early on, Mandelson said the discussion had gone "as far as it will go".